n.; pl. Jesses [ OF. gies, giez, prop. pl. of giet, get, jet, F. jet, a throwing, jess. See Jet a shooting forth. ] (falconry) A short strap of leather or silk secured round the leg of a hawk, to which the leash or line, wrapped round the falconer's hand, was attached when used. See Illust. of Falcon. [ 1913 Webster ]

Like a hawk, which feeling freed
From bells and jesses which did let her flight. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Bot.) Same as Jasmine. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Her.) Springing up or emerging; -- said of a plant or animal. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ LL. Jesse, the father of David, fr. Gr. &unr_;, fr. Herb. Yishai. ] Any representation or suggestion of the genealogy of Christ, in decorative art; as: (a) A genealogical tree represented in stained glass. (b) A candlestick with many branches, each of which bears the name of some one of the descendants of Jesse; -- called also tree of Jesse. [ 1913 Webster ]

Jesse window (Arch.), a window of which the glazing and tracery represent the tree of Jesse. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Her.) Having jesses on, as a hawk. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ OE. jeste, geste, deed, action, story, tale, OF. geste, LL. gesta, orig., exploits, neut. pl. from L. gestus, p. p. of gerere to bear, carry, accomplish, perform; perh. orig., to make to come, bring, and perh. akin to E. come. Cf. Gest a deed, Register, n. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. A deed; an action; a gest. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The jests or actions of princes. Sir T. Elyot. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A mask; a pageant; an interlude. [ Obs. ] Nares. [ 1913 Webster ]

He promised us, in honor of our guest,
To grace our banquet with some pompous jest. Kyd. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Something done or said in order to amuse; a joke; a witticism; a jocose or sportive remark or phrase. See Synonyms under Jest, v. i. [ 1913 Webster ]

I must be sad . . . smile at no man's jests. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

The Right Honorable gentleman is indebted to his memory for his jests, and to his imagination for his facts. Sheridan. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. The object of laughter or sport; a laughingstock. [ 1913 Webster ]

Then let me be your jest; I deserve it. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

In jest, for mere sport or diversion; not in truth and reality; not in earnest. [ 1913 Webster ] And given in earnest what I begged in jest. Shak. --
Jest book, a book containing a collection of jests, jokes, and amusing anecdotes; a Joe Miller. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Jested; p. pr. & vb. n. Jesting. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. To take part in a merrymaking; -- especially, to act in a mask or interlude. [ Obs. ] Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To make merriment by words or actions; to joke; to make light of anything. [ 1913 Webster ]

He jests at scars that never felt a wound. Shak.

Syn. -- To joke; sport; rally. -- To Jest, Joke. One jests in order to make others laugh; one jokes to please himself. A jest is usually at the expense of another, and is often ill-natured; a joke is a sportive sally designed to promote good humor without wounding the feelings of its object. “Jests are, therefore, seldom harmless; jokes frequently allowable. The most serious subject may be degraded by being turned into a jest.” Crabb. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. Gestour. ] 1. A buffoon; a merry-andrew; a court fool. [ 1913 Webster ]

This . . . was Yorick's skull, the king's jester. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

Dressed in the motley garb that jesters wear. Longfellow. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A person addicted to jesting, or to indulgence in light and amusing talk. [ 1913 Webster ]

He ambled up and down
With shallow jesters. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Given to jesting; full of jokes. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Sportive; not serious; fit for jests.
Syn. -- joking. [ 1913 Webster ]

He will find that these are no jesting matters. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]